Why do leaky-box models work so fine?

By introducing the concept of the age distribution of cosmic rays it is possible to decouple spatial from momentum transport, and simple leaky-box type equations result. The influence of spatial inhomogeneities, geometries, and source distributions enters the spatially homogeneous, infinite (i.e., leaky box) problem through appropriate mean lifetimes. A precise prescription of how to obtain these mean lifetimes, i.c., for comparison with data measured in the vicinity of the solar system they have to be calculated from the age distribution at the spatial position of the observer.